Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa yesterday made the following announcement regarding the latest Cabinet decisions.

1. Request for the approval of Namibia’s Draft Policy on International Relations and Cooperation: Submitted by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations.
Cabinet approved Namibia’s Policy on International Relations and Cooperation and authorization for the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation to table the Policy in Parliament for adoption.

2. Report on the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 13) held in Cancun, Mexico from 2 –18 December 2016: Submitted by the Minister of Environment and Tourism.
1. Cabinet took note of the key outcomes and decisions from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 13), including the Cancun Declaration on Mainstreaming the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity for well-being;
2. Cabinet took note that the Ministry of Environment and Tourism will continue to coordinate the implementation of the outcomes from CBD COP 13, including the mainstreaming and integration of biodiversity considerations into other sectors, as well as in cross-cutting national policies such as development plans and processes, budgets and economic policies; and,
3. Cabinet took note that Namibia will provide general support to Egypt in hosting the CBD COP14 in 2018 and that COP 14 should consider mainstreaming biodiversity into the energy and mining, infrastructure, manufacturing and health sectors.

3. 2014/2015: Annual report of Telecom Namibia Limited: Submitted by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology.
Cabinet approved the above-mentioned Annual Report of Telecom Namibia Ltd and authorization for the Minister of Information and Communication Technology to table it in the National Assembly.

4. Metrology Bill, 2017: Submitted by the Minister of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development.
Cabinet approved, in principle, the introduction of a new Metrology Bill that will repeal the Trade Metrology Act, 1973 (Act 77 of 1973), as amended, and also repeal the Metrology Amendment Act, 2005 (Act No. 17 of 2005) in Parliament.

5. Executive Immunities Bill 2017: Submitted by the Attorney-General.
Cabinet approved, in principle, the draft Executive Immunities Bill, 2017 and referred the Bill to the Cabinet Committee on Legislation (CCL) for scrutiny, before tabling in Parliament.